Dave Murray: "Every Band is Only as Strong as Their Latest Album"
“Every band is only as strong as their latest album,” said founding guitarist Dave Murray from Iron Maiden world headquarters in London. “We’ve never done anything half-assed, and that’s why we’re still making records and touring. It’s on the strength of the material and the live show. We’re at the point now where we can put on the live show we always wanted with a big PA and lights and effects and Eddies.”If Murray comes off as a classic heavy metal braggart, he’s not. That’s as narcissistic as he gets. He’ll complement his band mates endlessly, but he rarely lapses into stroking his own ego. After 30 years in Maiden, Murray has had half a dozen British chart toppers, rocked 300,000 fans at the 1985 inaugural Rock in Rio show, and made more money than the queen. Yet the self-avowed soccer fanatic spent the World Cup in a tiny pub with a few mates and a few more pints. He could have afforded to watch the finals from a hovering aircraft above the stadium but that’s not his style.
In 1999, Maiden added a third guitarist - something that would make the typical metal egomaniac guitarist bristle - yet Murray loves what it’s done to their sound. “It allows the band to be more heavy in places and more melodic in other places,” he said. “It’s working out really good. There’re no frustrations, we complement each other like the players on a football team. We’re here to make music and not compete with each other.”
Maybe it’s this all for one, one for all soccer attitude that keeps Maiden going. While American heavy metal bands such as KISS, Motley Crue or Metallica have spent the last few years at each other’s throats, Maiden marches to more platinum records, sold-out tours and songs about ancient Greek mythology. Murray doesn’t pretend to know the keys to their success, but said he’s loving life in Maiden as much as he ever has, and doesn’t plan on doing any vanity projects with Paul Stanley or Gene Simmons.
"I won’t be going on a solo tour anytime soon,” he said with a healthy British chuckle. “That’s way on the back burner. That’s in the barbecue.”
3 Comments
Gotta love Davey! :D
Do i need to say more, the gay is a rolemodel.
So is the rest of the band.
go Davey! \m/